Apple iPhone SE 2 – What To Expect?

Update 27/11 – Reports claim that the iPhone SE 2 will have a glass back and support wireless charging. Read the full story here.

Apple launched the iPhone SE back in March of 2016 after it had moved on from the conventional “small-screen” design on its iPhones. The iPhone SE was a relatively cheaper offering for people who still preferred the look and feel of the iPhone 5s but, also wanted upgraded hardware. It had the same chipset as the previously launched iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus in the body of an iPhone 5s.

The iPhone SE, at the time of its launch, was priced at Rs. 39000 in India which was much less than the introductory price of the older gen iPhones in India. In a price-sensitive market like India, the availability of an iOS device that did not compromise on hardware and also offered a compact flagship design helped Apple penetrate further into the Indian market. The Indian market had a certain section of society that thrived to buy a new iPhone while the rest of the population resorted to Android devices thanks to its wider availability and cheaper price tag.

The iPhone SE allowed people to enter the Apple ecosystem. Not just in terms of sale, the iPhone SE was groundbreaking for Apple because it was the first (and so far the only) iPhone that was manufactured in India. This helped Apple keep the price of the iPhone SE much lower than its predecessors. Apple began manufacturing the iPhone SE in India in May of 2017 and since then the price of the iPhone SE has significantly lowered. Currently, the iPhone SE retails for Rs. 18499 for the 32GB storage variant.

The iPhone SE lineup was not refreshed in 2017 and instead, Apple launched three new iPhones later in the year in September. The iPhone X being the most significant of the three. Ever since the launch event in September, there have been rumours that the ‘SE’ lineup will see a new iteration in March of 2018 with a complete design overhaul.

Design

While the iPhone SE was reminiscent of the past, the iPhone SE 2 will represent the present and what the future holds for the compact lineup of iPhones. There has been concept renders of the iPhone SE 2 which imagine an iPhone X-like design in the shape of the iPhone SE. A few months ago, an image from Weibo revealed a glass back panel of the iPhone SE 2.

This would make sense for Apple as the new iPhones launched in 2017 have a glass back panel to enable wireless charging. With a glass sandwich design for the iPhone SE 2, it will fit seamlessly into the iPhone lineup.

USP of the iPhone SE lineup is its compact look and feel without compromising on hardware. Apple could go with a nearly bezel-less design for the iPhone SE 2 and incorporate Face ID since the company has already hinted at phasing out Touch ID in favour of its facial recognition technology. You can watch the entire concept video here.

Specifications

The iPhone SE was powered by the Apple A9 chipset, just like the iPhone 6s. Similarly, the iPhone Se 2 could be powered by the A11 chipset. Other iPhone features like wireless charging could also make its way to the iPhone SE 2. While the concept video of the iPhone SE 2 shows off a dual-camera setup at the back, Apple might retain the single-camera setup especially if the device will be incorporating Face ID.

Price

In a market like India, the price is an integral factor. It can break or make a device. Unlike all other iPhones, the iPhone SE is manufactured in India in Apple’s Bengaluru plant. The iPhone SE 2will also be manufactured in India which means that unlike the iPhone 8 or iPhone X, the price of the iPhone SE 2 in India will not be inflated and might launch in the sub-35K price bracket.

The smartphone market doesn’t have many compact flagship phones and the iPhone SE 2 might fit the bill perfectly.

Would you be interested in an iPhone X-like iPhone SE 2? Let us know in the comments!